“Managing the [Asean] chairmanship will impose extra burdens upon a narrow cohort of able people who are managing the reform process, but who are already grossly overworked. To this extent, the chairmanship could be an unwelcome distraction,” economist and Burma expert Sean Turnell told The Irrawaddy while visiting Rangoon.

“On the other hand, the country is receiving assistance in the role from prior chair countries, which is likely to be helpful both for the matter at hand, and perhaps more broadly in terms of public administration.”